A guide to the cliques within the cliques

BOSTON
— The two basic designations of kids at Pelham (N.Y.) Memorial High School are "preppy" and "homey." But within those categories is a shifting tangle of far more complicated alliances. Here are a handful of them.

TAKA (Tap A Keg 'A) or AOP (Alcoholics of Pelham): These are the preppy boys of the upper grades. They're the athletes, although they're more apt to be involved with soccer, golf, and hockey than football. Many are from Pelham Manor and their parties often center around alcohol. The AIT (Alcoholics in Training) are the ninth-grade version of the TAKA.

SOD (Soldiers of Death): These are homey boys. They tend to be from north Pelham and sport Tommy Hilfiger-like styles. They brag about being from "the ghetto" (despite the solidly middle-class nature of Pelham).

The Roughriders: Another clique of homey boys. Many of these play on the football team and consider themselves to be more democratic and inclusive than the TAKA, although they agree that some TAKA are teammates and pals. They criticize the TAKA, however, for drinking too much.

BTU (Better Than U): Junior girls who like to dress up, go to clubs, and date older guys. They consider themselves neither preppy nor homey. The name BTU is a light-hearted joke.

36 Mafia: A group of homey boys who began hanging out together a house with a street address of "36."

The Bunch of Us or the Family: A group of preppy sophomore girls who came together from different cliques last year seeking a more supportive, less competitive sense of friendship.

The Clique, the Clan, the Crew: The cliques the class of 2001 was divided into last year, with the Clan representing the most popular group. Most kids say these designations no longer hold this year.